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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25950646">Shooting Star</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverAce06/pseuds/SilverAce06'>SilverAce06</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Broken Promises, Friendship, Loss, MARIAAAA!!!!, Promises, Shadow's a lonely boi, Sibling Bonding, Tragedy, give this lil guy a hug, he has the raw angst of a thousand suns, rip maria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:34:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25950646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverAce06/pseuds/SilverAce06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'Over fifty years ago, yet I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I'm sorry, Maria; the best things can never last.'</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shooting Star</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Era+%28thelosteternity%29">Era (thelosteternity)</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="xcontrast">
<p></p><div>
<p></p><div><p>
        <strong>For Era, who inspired me to keep writing,</strong>
      </p>
<p>
        <strong>Thank you.</strong>
      </p><hr/>
<p>
        <em>If you're still out there somewhere, I want you to know something.</em>
      </p>
<p>Midnight stars twinkled through the branches of an ancient oak, it's fiery leaves spiraling in the windy air of an autumn dusk. Below stood a lone figure, arms crossed, almost invisible in the thick darkness. One could barely make out the scarlet stripes adorning his quills and the soft reflection of moonlight on his golden bands. Looking over the edge of the grassy outcropping, Shadow grimaced, reminded for the thousandth time why this place in particular held such an air of familiarity. Of grief. Of regret.</p>
<p>And yet, for some reason, he had decided to return. The small hill had become a place of significance; it was where he had first remembered her.</p>
<p>"Maria."</p>
<p>Letting the name ring through the empty night, the hedgehog looked up the sky, overwhelmed once again in drowning loss. The feeling had dulled over time, but he doubted it would ever fade away completely. <em>Some scars never truly heal, do they?</em></p>
<p>Lowering himself to the base of the tree, he tugged absentmindedly on the long strands of grass, feeling their dewy wetness through the thin fibers of his gloves. The shining lights of Central City lay before him, their colors flickering in and out of the darkness. He wasn't much a fan of the bright, blinding neons of the city, but it was as close a home as he supposed he would get. And besides, they held a sort of beauty from this far away. Like fireflies.</p>
<p>"It's peaceful here. I hope it's like that for you too, wherever you are."</p>
<p>He would often talk to her here. Somehow, he felt she could hear him when he was alone like this. She smiled down on him from the heavens, lighting up the stars. He felt her in the breeze; he swore he could still smell the faint scent of that lavender perfume she used to wear. Soft, gentle, and familiar.</p>
<p>
        <em>"My life...it's an accident waiting to happen, Shadow."</em>
      </p>
<p>Her voice echoed in his mind, like she was still there beside him, hand in his own. It broke him a little, chipping away the walls he had built. He closed his eyes, reveling in the warmth of her presence, even if it were just his imagination. He loosened his grip on the blades of grass and let himself slip into the memory.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>
        <em>It was over fifty years ago. I still remember as if it were yesterday.</em>
      </p>
<p>
        <em>It was on that day that I realized something.</em>
      </p>
<p>
        <em>Everyone has their breaking point.</em>
      </p>
<p>"I...need you to promise me something."</p>
<p>They were together in Maria's quarters. She sat cross-legged on the blue-quilted bed, and Shadow was resting his head on her lap, letting her fingers brush through the long quills on the back of his head. Outside the starry sky enveloped the ARK, a beautiful view of the Earth below visible from the glass surroundings. It was nice, relaxing almost.</p>
<p>"Shadow, promise me you'll see the world."</p>
<p>He breathed out a heavy sigh and cocked one eyelid open. His gloved hand gripped hers, giving a gentle squeeze. "Don't talk like that, Maria."</p>
<p>Shadow gave a small smile up at her; he could see the fear in her eyes. Those sparkling pools, waves of doubt crashing harder than he'd ever seen in them. As the weeks he'd been here with her turned into months, he could feel her losing hope. Her own mind had crushed her heart's belief that things could get better. That she could get better.</p>
<p>And...</p>
<p>It hurt. To see her like this. And to know that her doubts would only grow.</p>
<p>He cast his gaze outward, staring at nothing, fumbling for words that he knew could never express what he needed them to. Today had been hard for her. And it was these kind of days that had been plaguing her more and more frequently. These days, where for hours upon hours she would seclude herself in her room, silent and expressionless. These days, where she wouldn't look him in the eyes. These days, where the salty remnants of tears stained her face long after they dried. Shadow wished he knew what to do; all he knew how to do was love her.</p>
<p>The minutes ticked by, soft strokes flicking across his quills and silence blanketing the room more like cold than comfort. He felt as if these moments could last forever. Him and Maria, stone statues, frozen and permanent.</p>
<p>Timeless.</p>
<p>
        <em>Broken.</em>
      </p>
<p>Her gentle hands jerked away, and he could feel her stomach clench as a rough, hacking sound broke the silence. Shadow bolted up, resting a gentle hand on her back, trying as best he could to stay still and solid. Cough after cough shook her frame, bringing tears to the blues of her eyes. Which kind of pain they came from, he did not know. He just held her closer, whispering blissful console; knowing fair well most of it was only half true. Because she was like glass, beautiful, but as fragile as life itself. And he knew the fit stopped far too late.</p>
<p>"...I-" Another gasping breath. "...I'm fine. Shadow, please...just-"</p>
<p>"Stop, Maria...breathe. Please, just breathe." It was more a prayer than it was a command.</p>
<p>She clenched her teeth, and he could feel the tremors racking her body. He held her tighter than he'd ever before, his inhibitors pressed against her back. <em>Please, Maria. Breathe.</em></p>
<p>"I'm going to call someone, okay?" he said, taking her shaking hands into his own. "I'll be back before you can-"</p>
<p>She cut him off, features panicked.</p>
<p>"No! I can't have-" She coughed again. "I can't...they can't think I'm getting worse. Not again! They'll...they'll-"</p>
<p>"It's okay. Nothing bad is going to happen. I'll just get Gerald and he can help you, alright?"</p>
<p>"...please...don't. Last time you had t-"</p>
<p>"This isn't about me."</p>
<p>Her tear-streaked face morphed again, the expression something he couldn't decipher. It was a sadness, a guilt, a fear. A look of pure despair.</p>
<p>And it tore his heart to know it was for him.</p>
<p>She sniffled, wiping the wetness away. "Y-you don't understand; I'm fine now, Shadow. It's over, there's no need to-to," her voice faded out as she let out another hacking breath, gasping for the oxygen. He let her be.</p>
<p>"There's no need. <em>Please</em>, I can't let them do it to you. <em>Not again</em>."</p>
<p>He just shook his head. "I told you. This isn't about me."</p>
<p>"I know," she said, voice still shaky. "It isn't about you. <em>None </em>of this <em>ever</em> had to be about you." She collapsed onto herself, knuckles turning white as she clenched them, wrapping her arms around herself. He watched with a scared gazed, unsure of what to do. He lifted a gloved hand as sky blue eyes turned on his scarlets.</p>
<p>"It's about me, Shadow. It's <em>my </em>fault you have to go through all this."</p>
<p>"Maria..."</p>
<p>
        <em>No...</em>
      </p>
<p>"Don't you understand? Your whole purpose in life is to be in <em>pain</em>. To go through countless, mind-numbingly excruciating 'experiments' when we all <em>know</em> there's no curing me." She let out a hiccup. "Does that not make you angry, Shadow?"</p>
<p>He was silent. Tears fell down her face as her arms clenched around her stomach.</p>
<p>"My life...it's an accident waiting to happen, Shadow. I'm like a bomb. I don't know when I'll go off, but when the fuse is finally lit, you'll be dragged down with me."</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>A eternity compressed into the space of seconds; it went on forever.</p>
<p>No words.</p>
<p>No motion.</p>
<p>Just silence.</p>
<p>"..."</p>
<p>"Maria."</p>
<p>The word cut through the cold, bitter air between them like a razor-blade. Salty tears washed down his cheeks, waterfalls of an emotion he just couldn't quite grasp.</p>
<p>"I...I can't pretend to know <em>any </em>of the pain you're going through, but what I do know is that what you are is <em>not </em>an accident."</p>
<p>He took her hands in his own, their eyes locked in a bitter-sweet stare.</p>
<p>"You're my sister; you're my best friend. Maria, you-, he pauses for a moment. "...you are...my purpose for being here."</p>
<p>He smiled, waiting for her beautiful grin to follow.</p>
<p>"My purpose is not pain. Not even close. My purpose is much more than just curing you. It is...to help you." He squeezed her hands. "To be there for you when no one else is. That may deviate from the reason I was created, but it is the resolve I've chosen."</p>
<p>He wraps his arms around her.</p>
<p>And for a moment-</p>
<p>Everything is finally okay.</p>
<p>"Maria. I promise that <em>we </em>will see the Earth."</p>
<p>"Together?"</p>
<p><em>"Together.</em>"</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Far too quickly, the vision fades. Echoes of the past still call out in his mind, but she's gone. <em>Alone.</em></p>
<p>Quiet chirps of crickets call out from the forest behind, and the sounds of the city ring through the air, the two noises clashing at an indisputable epicenter, where a lone figure waits in the night. Their contrast creates a scar-like fault line in the time-worn plateau of his emotions. A chilled breeze shakes the pitch leaves of an even darker oak, their earthy aroma engulfing the cliff in a sorrowful sort of bittersweet.</p>
<p>Shadow doesn't notice the trickles of sorrow washing down his muzzle. He doesn't notice the way his hands are tightened, fists borne and clenched.</p>
<p>What he does make out, however, is the narrow slash of golden light that zips across the heavens. So fleeting, yet so beautiful.</p>
<p>A thousand thoughts raced past that crimson gaze. Only she gets to know their meaning.</p>
<p>
        <em>Maria.</em>
      </p>
<p>"<strong>I'm sorry.</strong>"</p></div></div></div>
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